Immigration policy towards the Pacific, including the quota system which is drawn by random ballot, has been criticised for being outdated and discriminatory.

Labour MP Iain Lees-GallowayLabour MP Iain Lees-Galloway Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said New Zealand is expected to carry out a review over 2019 and 2020.

Over the 2016 to 2017 period, 1121 gained residence under the Samoan Quota scheme.

During the same period, a further 655 gained residency from Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Fiji through the Pacific Access Category.

Source
radionz.co.nz

Paul Crystal, his wife and their three children moved to New Zealand more than six years ago, started two businesses, and were close to getting permanent residency when Mr Crystal became ill.

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The government will scrap the sibling and adult child immigration categories to "reduce the number of unskilled migrants who find it difficult to get jobs and are more likely to get benefit payments", according to a cabinet paper leaked to the Labour Party.

Parents will no longer be able to bring in dependent children, another change that will make gaining residency more difficult for them.

Residency applications will be fast-tracked for parents with children already in New Zealand, if they have guaranteed funds or income, or if their child-sponsors are high-income people.

The sponsorship level to cover applicants will be about $30,000, Immigration Minister Nathan Guy has indicated.

This has raised concerns that Pacific Island immigrants who may not have access to such amounts of money, could be disadvantaged.

Prime Minister John Key expressed confidence that the government has struck the right balance "to ensure that those that come to New Zealand can be relatively self-sufficient". He said that discussion is necessary with other governments before the policy can be put in place, as there are complications with some countries.

Sources

• TV3 News
• Image: McCabenet